Does an ebike have to have pedals?

[murphy]

Hi i am wondering if an ebike has to have pedals to therefore qualify as a bicycle? Would an ebike with no pedals and 250w motor be legal to ride in the UK and overseas on the public highway? would it still be able to qualify for the cycle to work scheme?

i appreciate your thoughts, cheers

 

[jerrysimon]

Yes it must have pedals to be legal in the UK in terms of qualifying as a pedelec bike with the associated exemption from road tax, MOT etc.

If you were prepared to jump through all the hoops to have it registered (and carry number plates) I guess you could do that.

Is there any specific reason why you ask ? What advantage do you see in not having pedals ?

Even with the 250W motor, I think the unassisted speed restriction of 15.5mph ? also applies.

Regards

Jerry

 

[GaRRy]

Im sure greater minds than mine will give more details but I'm pretty certain the answer is it must have pedals.

Throttles are not even allowed in europe so with out pedals it wouldn't be much use

 

[flecc]

Yes, must have pedals that work properly in the whole of the EU including the UK. As said above, no independent acting throttles are allowed in mainland Europe either.

There is a Low Powered Moped class for bicycle based two wheelers that requires single vehicle type approval, registration and all the usual moped laws. These can have up to 1000 watt motors but are still restricted to the same 16 mph.

 

[Fordulike]

Hi i am wondering if an ebike has to have pedals to therefore qualify as a bicycle? Would an ebike with no pedals and 250w motor be legal to ride in the UK and overseas on the public highway? would it still be able to qualify for the cycle to work scheme?

i appreciate your thoughts, cheers

It's more fun with pedals, just to see the look on people's faces, when you pedal backwards riding up a 10% hill

 

[saneagle]

I think we have all peddled backwards just to see the look on a face!

 

[cwah]

I have pedal on my ebike I use only when I don't have enough power to go back home lol